


Jewel to Sparkle

by Lord Vitya (ProtoDan)



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Cheesy, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Sappy, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 17:58:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11041347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProtoDan/pseuds/Lord%20Vitya
Summary: From a 'flirty' Tumblr prompt: “How dare you steal my heart like that? I should be locking you up, but I’m kind of inclined to let you keep it.”





	Jewel to Sparkle

It's been a long, dull day in the damp heat of Kaas City—the _Cart'ar_ is grounded for a standard week for routine maintenance, and Vasili is stuck with no assignment from his Master. The moment they made planetfall, he made sure his crew knew they were under no obligation to remain with the ship, and that they were free to do whatever they pleased, so long as they don't break any laws or come back with any pets.

Pierce left to reconnect with old comrades, Vette took Jaesa to explore ruins on the edges of the city proper, and Malavai... Vasili isn't entirely sure where Malavai went. His best guess is that he's gone to visit family in Kaas City, but he'd been remarkably vague when Vasili asked. Not wanting to pry despite how the curiosity ate at him, Vasili left the matter there; given that this is Malavai, he'll explain himself at his own pace. Hopefully.

Vasili, for his part, spends most of his time on the ship, tuning his sabers and—more importantly—making sure he doesn't miss any unexpected calls from Darth Baras. (None come. A dutiful apprentice wouldn't be relieved at the silence, he thinks; certainly they wouldn't be kept awake at night in fear that their master might jerk their chain across the galaxy again. A dutiful apprentice, a good Sith student, would simply be happy to serve. But then, when has he ever been either of those things?)

His brief hours away from the ship are spent in the company of other up-and-coming apprentices—networking, as little as he wants to be doing so. While his presence in the Sith Sanctum always turns a few heads, no one remarks on it aloud, and the others seem to at least tolerate him, which is about as much as he can hope for. Vasili forces himself to be happy with that so he can return to the ship and decompress. 

Vasili returns from one such outing two days before the _Cart'ar_ is due to be spaceworthy again, an hour after nightfall. He's tired from talking to other Sith and from walking across most of the city centre, he's overheated and damp from the heat and rain, and he knows he must look a right mess.

So when he steps onto the bridge to see Malavai sitting by the holoterminal, it's equal parts startling and distressing. He wasn't supposed to be back this early, and he certainly wasn't meant to see Vasili so disheveled when he doesn't even have the excuse of any sort of battle. 

" _Ch'acin't,_ " Vasili blurts out, not even thinking to check if the rest of the crew have also come back early. "What are you doing back already? I thought you were going to enjoy your time off."

Malavai quickly turns his head before standing, bowing at the waist out of equal parts respect and habit. "I was able to finish all of my errands before we left the planet," he says, as if that explains everything perfectly.

At least that confirms no one else has come back early—if the others were in earshot, he wouldn't have neglected his usual _my lord_. Vasili lets himself relax, walking around the small row of seats and sitting down next to where Malavai had been before. After a moment's hesitation, Malavai follows suit, settling back down a hand's breadth away.

Vasili closes the distance himself, leaning against Malavai's shoulder and shutting his eyes. "You know, if you don't let yourself have an actual vacation one of these days, I may have to order you to enjoy a little free time," he says with a small smile.

Malavai raises his arm, folding it around Vasili's shoulder; Vasili obligingly nestles himself just a little bit closer, his lover's gentle warmth a pleasant contrast against the oppressive, humid heat of the jungle outside. "I never said I didn't take some time for myself," Malavai says, a hint of a smile in his voice. "As a matter of fact, I've only just come back from the Trade Market." There's a faint rustling, and Malavai jostles Vasili slightly with whatever movement he's making.

Confused, Vasili sits up a bit, looking at his lover to see what in the worlds he's doing. Malavai seems to have just pulled something out of one of his belt boxes—a small, somewhat rounded object, wrapped in white cloth. He holds it out to Vasili, smiling.

Vasili looks at the object for a moment before taking it, waiting for Malavai's nod of approval before unwrapping it. In the folds of white fabric rests a small, bright red gemstone, almost perfectly smooth. Breath caught in his throat, Vasili holds it up above his eyes, mesmerized by how it catches the light.

"I recall you mentioning an interest in geology," Malavai says. "While it doesn't have any special properties as far as I'm aware, if I might be permitted a moment's sentimentality... the color rather reminded me of your eyes."

Vasili's heart stammers for a moment at that, and he pulls his gaze away from the stone to look at Malavai. He bites his lip for a moment, trying not to smile too much. "You know," he says, "I distinctly remember telling you and the rest of the crew that you weren't to break any laws."

Malavai falters, frowning. "My lord, I assure you, I paid for this with my own funds—"

Vasili grins then, reaching out with his free hand to put a finger to Malavai's lips. "How dare you steal my heart like that?" he asks.

The frown immediately melts into affectionate exasperation. Malavai shakes his head and takes hold of Vasili's wrist to kiss the palm of his hand.

"I should be locking you up," Vasili continues, leaning forward to catch Malavai's lips with his own, "but I’m kind of inclined to let you keep it.”

"You are incorrigible, my love," Malavai murmurs, gently pushing Vasili until his back is against the seat. Vasili can feel him smiling. 

"You love it, don't lie," Vasili says with a grin. 

Malavai draws back, hovering above Vasili with eyebrows raised. There's still the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, and it takes an unreasonable amount of self-restraint for Vasili not to push himself up and kiss it again. "There are moments," he says dryly. "I think, however, that a reprimand might be in order for putting _my_  heart under such strain just now."

A faint shiver darts down Vasili's back. "I'm all ears, Captain."

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to RiaJade01 for sending in this prompt! I love you and everyone else who has ever sent me prompts for Quinn and Vasili. <3  
> You too can throw ficlet ideas at me over at my Tumblr, @LordVitya! Or just scream at me, that works too; I'm always happy to scream about my babies.


End file.
